Elder Allan, a member of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, embarks on a poignant journey to Mission Beach. This journey is not just a physical one but an emotional and cultural pilgrimage to uncover the history of his people. Accompanied by a group of fellow community members, Allan travels to a place where his ancestors were sent during the cyclone of 1918. "We are on our way up to Mission Beach to uncover a scenery that would happen back in 1918," he recounts, emphasizing the importance of this trip.
The journey is not merely about revisiting the past but about connecting with the experiences of his ancestors. Allan reflects on the stories passed down through generations, stories of suffering due to diseases like malaria. "Many old people said that our family were sent up there," he shares, highlighting the shared pain and resilience of his people.
Traveling as a group, they seek not just adventure but a deeper understanding of their collective past. Allan notes, "We all shared our same interest to seek the same adventure, but not adventure, but it's a serious thing that family was suffering back in the day." This shared experience is crucial in understanding and honoring the hardships faced by their ancestors.
Despite the pain and suffering associated with this place, Allan does not categorize these memories as merely good or bad. Instead, he seeks to experience them firsthand, saying, "It's something that...feels like that you want to go back and see it yourself, you know, experience it."
This journey stands as a testament to the resilience and strength of the Palm Island community, as well as a reminder of the importance of cultural memory and connection. Allan's journey is a powerful reflection on history, identity, and the enduring spirit of his people.
Allan Palm Island
Palm Island (Bwgcolman Country)
PUBLIC-ARCHIVE-CONFIRMED. Allan Palm Island, age 50 (b. ~1975), Manbarra Traditional Owner Director on the PICC Board (the inaugural holder of that position). In his own words: "I began to learn about my culture from as young as eight years, and this started with my father. He would, over the years, teach me first about the stories of the Nanggarra Wanggarra people and my connection to country (Manbarra). My art depicts the land and animal and sea life and within the art is the spiritual connection to our ancestors which includes my father and my mother's country and they carrying on of knowledge through these artworks." Trained at Cairns College of TAFE (Arts and Craft), continued at Casuarina University (Charles Darwin University, NT), and completed Master of Fine Arts at RMIT University Melbourne in 1999. As Manbarra, Allan represents the original Traditional Owners of Palm Island — the Manbarra were forcibly moved off the islands in the 1890s by the Queensland Government, before the 1914 reserve gazetting brought the Bwgcolman peoples. PICC Acknowledgement of Country (2023-24 Annual Report) names Allan as Manbarra Director and recognises both the Manbarra (Traditional Owners) and the Bwgcolman (descendants of those forcibly removed) — "Bwgcolman" meaning "many tribes, one people" (per Jeanie Sam, Manager of PICC Children and Youth Services). KINSHIP LEAD (Tuesday 2026-04-28): "Dick Palm Island" was the Manbarra elder credited with coining the term Bwgcolman ("many tribes, one people") to give a collective identity to the 46 forcibly relocated groups. Allan Palm Island shares the surname pattern (adopted from country) and the Manbarra identity — possible direct lineage. Worth confirming with Allan Tuesday. ADDITIONAL ARCHIVE CONFIRMATION (Trove): At the opening of the Palm Island Cultural Precinct on 24 February 2012 (Torres News, 14 March 2012), Allan Palm Island welcomed politicians and hundreds of community members "to country" as the local Manbarra elder — before the Tom Geia Snr Memorial Bridge was unveiled. Direct documentary evidence of Allan in his Manbarra Traditional Owner role over a decade before the PICC Board appointment.
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